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“I Transformed My Skincare Regime Into A Holistic Beauty Routine, And Then Started My Own Company.”

Frustrated with the skincare products that were available, Jean Eng wanted holistic beauty routine. And her research lead to her launch her own company.

Lisa Hannam

Jean Eng created a holistic beauty routine for herself

If you are looking to transform your skin care regime into a holistic beauty routine, then you have come to the right place for inspiration. Jean Eng is the 63-year-old co-founder and president of Pure + Simple, a chain of holistic, natural + sustainable spas in the Toronto and Waterloo areas. What started out as researching how she should deal with chronic acne turned into a career and a business.

“Growing up, I struggled with incurable acne that persisted into my 30s,” says Eng, who started her company back in 2000. “I made desperate attempts to clear my skin using every medicinal ointment, treatment and pill, but nothing seemed to help. I found that the products I was using promoted a conventional, synthetic type of beauty that was disconnected with my own values of balanced, natural beauty from the inside-out. After seeing my daughter struggle, I knew there had to be a better way to solve our skin issues.”

Find out what holistic beauty means to this 63-year-old beauty boss.

How did you create a holistic beauty routine?

It was not easy. “My search for natural, sustainable, and effective treatments for my skin issues led me to enroll in a professional esthetics course at George Brown College [in Toronto],” she says. There she learned about how skin care works, natural skin treatments and Ayurvedic science. And to find skincare products that would work for her skin issues (and her daughter’s, who also struggled with acne), she would have to create them herself. And that she did.

What did you learn about your skins?

“Categorizing people into oily, normal or mature skin wasn’t enough,” says Eng. “This is when we decided to dig deeper, further incorporate Ayurveda into our practices and really get to the root of skincare issues to create more comprehensive skincare plans.” And that meant learning how emotions, stress and diet can affect skin, as well as how environmental issues, including weather, geography and lifestyle affected the skin. It’s about balancing mind, body and spirit.

How has this changed your life?

“I am so happy that I’ve been able to solve my skin issues in a natural and sustainable way that aligns with my values. More than that, I am grateful for the community we’ve built at Pure + Simple and for my team who has become my family,” she says. But she does offer some career advice: “Whatever you choose to do, choose what you love to do. Do it well and with a smile.”

A selection of ground and whole spices and a hint of coconut flavour the mixed vegetables in this contemporary curry, which is cooked in stages so that all the individual tastes remain distinct and delicious. Serve stir-fried vegetable curry with boiled rice.